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11 fun things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend, May 11-14

Tiana Timmerberg

11 fun things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend, May 11-14

Mac Miller Day (Thursday)

The late, loved Pittsburgh rapper is celebrated with this evening at Allegheny City Brewing, North Side, with the release of the hazy IPA, Most Dope, a special SoundCloud playlist of unique Mac stuff inside, Mac art for sale from Eric Haberle and the Smoked Out Hefe Food Truck. It runs from 4 to 9 p.m.; alleghenycitybrewing.com.

‘The Velvet Underground & Nico: Scepter Studio Sessions’ (Friday)

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The Andy Warhol Museum opens a new exhibition highlighting the seminal proto-punk band’s first recording sessions in April 1966 at the New York City studio. It centers on the original tapes of the initial tracks recorded by the VU, recently discovered in the museum’s archive. Those nine songs became the bedrock of their debut album “The Velvet Underground & Nico,” which was produced by Warhol and featured his famed peel-away banana artwork on the cover. The monophonic reel-to-reel ¼-inch tapes feature alternate versions and mixes of the songs. The songs from the tapes, which will be on view, will play continuously in the gallery and will be accompanied by Steve Schapiro photographs from 1966-67 of the Velvets, Warhol and associates. The exhibition will also consist of rare, unseen footage of the Velvet Underground performing live, more than 30 Warhol Screen Tests featuring the five members of the band and 100 copies of the “banana album,” all from the collection of Velvet enthusiast Mark Satlof. It runs through Sept. 25; warhol.org.

‘Madagascar the Musical’ (Friday)

Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria escape New York Central Park Zoo and onto the stage of the Benedum in this production of the Dreamworks musical. The unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien’s Madagascar features new songs written for the stage, dancing menageries and puppets. It begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $39 to $59; trustarts.org.

Brooks & Dunn (Friday)

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Back in 2010, the country duo of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn did The Last Rodeo breakup tour, after which they both released solo albums. By 2014, they were reunited for a residency in Vegas and then in 2019 they released their “Reboot” album, which went to No. 1 on the country charts. The tour hits PPG Paints Arena with openers Scotty McCreery and Megan Maroney. 7 p.m. $54; ticketmaster.com.

May Market at Phipps (Friday-Saturday)

Greeting the gardening season and Mother’s Day weekend is this 87th free market on the lawn of Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens with horticulturists, local nurseries, farms and other vendors. They will offer organic herbs and vegetable seedlings, tropical plants, succulents, annuals, perennials and other seasonal favorites. Also available will be everything from landscaping materials to botanical art and natural body care products. Food vendors as well. It runs from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; phipps.conservatory.org.

Renée Elise Goldsberry (Friday-Sunday)

The Carnegie Mellon University grad and Tony-winning star of “Hamilton” (in the role of Angelica Schuyler) joins the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for a concert with music from “Hamilton,” “The Lion King,” “Rent” and more. It’s at Heinz Hall at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets start at $22; pittsburghsymphony.org.

Pittonkatonk (Saturday)

The lively, free and unique festival featuring brass bands, cumbia, hip-hop and more is back at the Vietnam Veterans Pavilion in Schenley Park for a 10th anniversary. The lineup features touring artists Baba Commandant and the Mandingo Band (Burkina Faso), Balaklava Blues (Ukraine/Canada), Tamikrest (Morocco), Kizaba (Congo), Undertow Brass Band and Detroit Party Marching Band, along with the Pittsburgh-based Hugo Cruz and Caminos, Mai Khoi and the Dissidents, Timbeleza, Eagleburger Band, May Day Marching Band and Balafon West African Dance. The food and drink vendors include Kilamanjaro Flavour, Mr Bulgogi, Pure Grub, ShadoBeni, Spirit Pizza, Millie's Ice Cream, Goodlander Cocktails, East End Brewing and Stateside Vodka. It begins at 1 p.m. Info on the Pittonkatonk FB page.

Friendship Flower & Folk Festival (Saturday)

Baum Grove in Friendship is the setting for this plant and flower sale that will also include acoustic, folk and jazz musicians, food vendors and raffle. It runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bring a blanket. Info on the Facebook page.

Shane Gillis (Saturday)

The Benedum welcomes the stand-up comic, actor and writer from Mechanicsburg who won Philly’s Funniest at Helium Comedy Club in 2016 and was named an “Up-Next” Comic at Comedy Central’s 2019 Clusterfest in San Francisco. Gillis, who is one-half of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast and a regular guest on Sirius XM’s The Bonfire, The Joe Rogan Experience, and Barstool Sports KFC Radio, released his Gillis released his debut comedy special, “Shane Gillis: Live in Austin,” on YouTube in 2021. It has been viewed over six million times. He also plays Gilly in Peacock’s “Bupkis” opposite Pete Davidson, Joe Pesci, and Edie Falco. Shows are 7 and 9:30 p.m. Tickets start at $41.25; trustarts.org.

Richard Thompson (Saturday)

Thompson, one of the folk-rock’s greatest singer-songwriter-guitarists, returns for an intimate club show at the Thunderbird Music Hall in Lawrenceville. He’s playing a set that spans his time with Fairport Convention, with ex-wife Linda and as a solo artist, the most recent album being 2018’s “13 Rivers.” 8 p.m. Sold out.

Lizzo (Saturday)

The four-time Grammy winner makes her Pittsburgh debut at PPG Paints Arena on The Special 2our, supporting her fourth album “Special.” Lizzo, a singer, rapper and flutist born in Detroit and raised in Houston, launched her career in 2013 and broke into the mainstream in 2019 with the hits “Truth” and “Good As Hell.” “Special,” which Rolling Stone called “the most unabashedly joyous, sonically diverse, and emotionally profound album put out by a major label since Beyonce’s ‘Lemonade’,” was led by the No. 1 single “About Damn Time, and debuted at No. 2 on the charts in June 2022. With Latto. 8 p.m. $120; ticketmaster.com.

First Published: May 9, 2023, 9:30 a.m.

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R&B star Lizzo.  (Tiana Timmerberg)
Tamikrest plays Pittonkatonk.
Brooks & Dunn on the Reboot tour.  (courtesy of Brooks & Dunn)
Comedian Shane Gillis plays the Benedum.  (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images)
Tiana Timmerberg
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